After God created the world all living things on earth were given a name. The plants and the trees, the animals and the fish, and each person, young and old, had a special name.

But no one knew the name for God.

So each person searched for God's name.

The farmer whose skin was dark like the rich brown earth from which all things grew called God Source of life.

The girl whose skin was as golden as the sun that turned night into day called God Creator of Light.

The man who tended sheep in the valley called God Shepard.

The tired soldier who fought too many wars called God Maker of Peace.

The artist who carved figures from the earth's hard stone called God My Rock.

Sometimes the people who called God by different names were puzzled.

They said, "Every living thing has a single name: the marigold, pansy and lily; the oak tree, sequoia and pine. God must have a single name that is greater and more wonderful than all the other names."

Each person thought his name for God was the greatest. Each person thought her name for God was the very best.

The farmer who called God Source of Life said, "This is the true name for God."  The girl who called God Creator of Life insisted, "This is the most splendid name for God." The shepard, soldier, and artist believed they each had the perfect name for God.

But no one listened.

Least of all God.

And so each person kept searching for God's name.

The woman who cared for the sick called God Healer.

The slave who was freed from bondage called God Redeemer.

The grandfather whose hair was white with the years called God Ancient One.

The grandmother who was bent with age and sorrow called God Comforter.

The young woman who nursed her newborn son called God Mother.

The young man who held the hand of his baby daughter called God Father.

And the child who was lonely called God Friend.

All the people called God by different names. They tried to tell one another that their name was best, the only name for God, and all the other names were wrong.

But no one listened. 

Least of all God.

And so each person kept searching for God's name.

Then one day the person who called God Ancient One and the one who called God Friend, the one who called God Mother and the one who called God Father - all the people who called God by a different name came together.

The knelt by a lake that was clear and quiet like a mirror, God's mirror.

Then each person who had a name for God looked at the others who had a different name. They looked into God's mirror and saw their own faces and the faces of all the others.

And they called out their names for God - 

all at the same time.

At that moment the people knew that all the names for God were good, and no name was better than another.

Then all at once their voices came together and they called God One.

Everyone listened.

Most of all God.